Clutch throwout mechanism



July 20, 1943. J. 1. CARLSON CLUTCH THROW-OUT MECHANISM Original Filed June 5 1N VENT OR. JZzn 6/??16072, A; ATTORNEY.

Patented July 20, 1943 CLUTCH THROWOU'I MECHANISM John I. Carlson, Aurora, 111., assignor to Carlson Tool & Machine 00., Aurora, 111., a partnership composed of John I. Carlson and Cliflford D.

Carlson Original application June 5, 1940, Serial No. 338,859. Divided and this application February 20, 1941, Serial No. 379,808

6 Claims.

The invention relates generally .to a throw-out mechanism for a clutch and particularly to such mechanism especially adapted for use in a brush making machine. I

One object of the invention is to provide a clutch throw-out mechanism of new and improved construction, capable of disengaging a rapidly rotating clutch without shock to the throw-out mechanism.

Another object is to provide, in a machine having a governing element of slow and small movement, clutch throw-out mechanism governed by the element including means releasable by the governing element and cooperable with means on the clutch to effect disengagement of the clutch without shock to the throw-out mechanism. l f

A further object, is to provide a clutch throwout mechanism having a main pin manually Withdrawable against spring tension to an inoperative position and a second pincooperable with the first pin and serving as the meansfor latching the same in inoperative position.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description; taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in

which: W

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the top portion of a brush making machine having a clutch throw-out mechanism embodying the features of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary and enlarged top plan view showing the clutch and clutch throw-out mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

While the invention is herein shown and will hereinafter be described in apreferred embodiment, it is not intended that the invention is to be limited thereby to the specific construction disclosed, but on the contrary it is intended to cover all modifications and'alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

This application is a division of my copending application for Brush making machine, Serial No. 338,859,'filed June 5,1940.

Though theclutch throw-out mechanism hereinafter disclosed is adaptable for use in a variety of machines, it is particularly well adapted for use in a brush making machine; It will accords ingly. be disclosed in such an environment ior exemplary purposes. The brush making. ma. chine, shown particularlyinFig. 1 for purposes of disclosure; is of the general typeof brush makmachine well known in the art. Generally such a machine comprises a bed or base In from which rise two upright frame members II and I2 connected at their upper free ends by a cross member l3. Disposed above the bed 10 are a plu rality of tables or supports l4, l5 and I6. These tables are mounted upon and actuated by suitable mechanism, herein designated [1, which is operable to. move thefltables both transversely and longitudinally of the machine in an intermittent step by step movement corresponding to the spacing of the'tufting of the brush, as well as to tilt the tables to permit certain of the tufts to be placed at an angle to obtain the desired flare of the brush.

The table 14 is adapted to carry a blank wooden block shaped to form the brush back. Mounted on the cross'member l3 above the table I4 for action on the brush back carried by the table is a drill head l8. This drill head is reciprocated and the drill I9 carried thereby continuously rotated so as to bore holes in the block carried by the table M, in conformity with a predetermined pattern. The table [6 is adapted to support a brush back which has been formed with the necessary tuft receiving holes and disposed thereabove for cooperation therewith is a tuft supplying mechanism 20 and a staple forming and'driving mechanism 21. Like the drill head I8, the mechanisms 20 and 2i are intermittently operated in order intermittently to secure tufts in holes of the brush back at the same time that corresponding holes are being drilled in a blank brush back carried on the table l4.

The third table I5 is adapted to carry a template I5' having holes therein corresponding to the desired pattern that the brush is to have. Cooperating with this template is a hole finder 22 which is also mounted on the cross member l3 and reciprocated in timed relation with the reciprocation of the drill head and staple driving mechanism to assure that the tables [4, i5

and Hi, which are all interconnected, are accurately positioned. I

Inasmuch as the various cams, eccentrics and like mechanism, for imparting to the table actuating and supporting mechanisms ll, the drill head, the tuft supplying and staple driving mechanisms 20 and 2|, and the hole finder 22 their intermittent and interrelated and timed movements, are of more or less conventional construction and form no part of this invention, the same have not been disclosed herein. Suffice it to say, therefore, that thevarious mecha nisms are driven preferably from an electric motor 23 through such cams and like mechanism mounted on a main cam shaft 24, coupled through the medium of a clutch with a drive shaft 26, and also usually mounted on an auxiliary shaft (not shown) which is driven at a low R. P. M.

In brush making machines of the type disclosed the machine is usually started and stopped through the medium of the clutch 25 and, moreover, the machine is started and stopped with each brush. Starting of the machine is efiected manually after a drilled brush back has been mounted on the table I6 and a blank brush back mounted on the table I4. Stopping of the machine is normally eifected automatically after the last hole has been drilled in one brush back and the last tuft inserted in the other brush back, and it is necessary, therefore, that the machine be stopped quickly and precisely before the drill head I8 and the staple driving mechanism 2| begin another downward stroke. Such automatic stopping of the machine is normally under the control of a member which is given a small step by step movement with each operation of the reciprocating elements. With such limited movement of the control member, and with the necessity that the machine be stopped quickly and precisely, the normal lever type of throwout mechanism is not suitable, but the circumstances require a throw-out mechanism which suddenly engages one of the clutch elements and by such engagement disconnects the clutch. Inasmuch as in certain machines the shaft 24 may be revolving at a rate as high as 360 R. P. 1%, there is a tremendous shock at the time of such engagement of the mechanism with the clutch element. While it has been possible to make the clutch of such construction yet to withstand this shock, great difiiculty has been experienced in the past in providing a clutch throw-out mechanism capable of withstanding the shock.

It is a feature of this invention to provide improved clutch throw-out mechanism in which there is no shock to the mechanism. The clutch disclosed herein is of the jaw type having one element 95 fixed on the drive shaft 26 and a complementary element 96 splined on the shaft 24. The latter element 96 is normally and constantly urged toward engagement with the element 95 by a spring 91. Formed in the clutch element 96 and constituting a part of the throwout mechanism is a peripheral cam groove 98 with one side wall 98 which is straight, while the opposite side wall has a straight and parallel portion 99 extending over approximately 180, a portion 99' extending over approximately 96 which is disposed at an angle to the plane of the straight portions of the side Walls and flares outwardly, and a complementary angle portion 99".

Adapted to cooperate with the cam groove 98 in the element 96 is a pin I66 which is slidably supported in a bore I6I formed in a bracket I62 bolted to the cross member I3. The pin I66 has two positions, namely, a withdrawn position in which it is out of engagement with the element 96, and a projected position, shown in Figs. 2 and 3, in which it engages in the cam groove 98. The pin I66 is so positioned longitudinally of the shaft 24 that when it is in engagement with the narrow portion of the cam groove 98 the clutch will be disengaged. It is understood, of course, that the clutch is rotated in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 3, so that when the pin I66 is first shifted to its extended position it will engage the inclined portion 99' of the cam groove so that the element 96 will be gradually disengaged as the inclined portion 99 travels past the pin I66. Inasmuch as the angle of the inclined portion 99' with respect to the transverse plane through the cam groove is small, disengagement of the clutch is effected with little shock to the pin I66. The clutch element 96, being the driven element, will upon being disengaged from the element come to rest while the'pin I66 is in the narrow portion of the cam groove and thus will be retained in disengaged position until the pin is withdrawn.

The pin I66 is controlled through the medium of a hand operated lever I63 which is pivoted at I64 to a bracket I65 and at its inner end engages a groove I66 formed on the end of the pin I66 for that purpose. The lever I63 is normally urged in a direction to cause extension of the pin I66 by a tension spring I6'I connected at one end to the lever I63 and at the other end to the bracket I62. To retain the pin in its withdrawn position, the same is formed with a groove I68 adapted to be engaged by a locking plunger I69 formed on the end of a rod II6 which, as best seen in Fig. 1, extends downwardly to a point adjacent the mechanism IT for actuation when a brush is completed. Normally, the pin I66 is withdrawn through manual operation of the lever I63 by the operator of the machine when it is desired to initiate operation of the machine, the pin being retained in its withdrawn position, as above stated, by the locking plunger I69. Upon completion of the brush, the plunger I69 is automatically withdrawn to permit the pin I66 to be moved to its projected position under the influence of the spring I61 so that the clutch will immediately, be disengaged and the machine stopped. Preferably, the pin I66 is formed with a slightly reduced portion III intermediate the grove I68 and the'body of the pin, in order that any ibllI'S that may be struck up as a result of the action of the locking plunger I69 on the pin will not become wedged between the pin and the bore I6 I.

I claim as my invention:

1. A throw-out mechanism for'a clutch comprising, in combination, an axially shiftable pin having a projected and a withdrawn position, a locking groove formed insaid pin, a lever engaging said pin operable to shift the same to either its retracted or its projected position, a spring engaging said lever normally urging the same to shift the pin to projected position, and a locking bolt operable to engage the locking groove in said pin when in retracted position to hold the same retracted against the action of said spring.

2. A throw-out mechanism for a clutch comprising, in combination, a casting having a bore therein, a pin reciprocable in said bore to have an operative and an inoperative position, said pin having a locking groove formedtherein and a reduced portion intermediate said groove and the main body of said pin, a lever pivotally mounted on said casting and at one end engagging said pin to shift the same to its various positions, a spring acting on said lever operable normally to urge said pin to its'opera'tive position, said casting havinga second bore at right angles to the first mentioned bore, and a locking plunger reciprocable in said second bore operable to project into thegroove in said pin when in inoperative positionto lock the same insuch position against the action of said spring,

3. A throw-out mechanisnrfor a clutch having a shiftable clutch element comprising, in combination, a peripheral cam groove in the shiftable clutch element, one side wall of which has a portion disposed at an angle to the plane of said groove, an axially shiftable pin having a withdrawn position and a projected position engaging in said cam groove, a lever engaging said pin operable to shift the same to either its withdrawn or its projected position, a spring normally urging said pin to projected position, and. means directly engaging said pin for looking the same in withdrawn position against the action of said spring and operable upon slight movement to release said pin to said spring for instantaneous projection. V

4. In a throw-out mechanism for a clutch, an axially shiftable throw-out pin having an operative and an inoperative position, a spring urging said pin toward its operative position and a locking plunger for said pin disposed at right angles thereto, an annular groove in said pin with which said locking plunger engages to hold the pin in its inoperative position, and a reduced portion between said groove and the main body of said pin to provide clearance for burs that may be struckup by action of said pin on said locking plunger.

5. A throw-out mechanism for a clutch comprising, in combination, an axially shiftable, clutch element controlling pin having a project- 10 means to release said pin to said spring.

6. The combination of an axially shiftable driven clutch element having a peripheral cam groove, means urging said element toward engaged position, and a cooperating clutch throw- 15 out mechanism comprising an axially shiftable pin having a retracted position and a projected position radially engaging in said cam groove, said pin in its projected position cooperating with said cam groove to shift said clutch ele- 20 ment to disengaged position, a spring constantly urging said pin to projected position, a lever engaging said pin operable to shift the same to retracted position against the action of I said spring, and means directly engaging said pin for 5 holding the same in retracted position against the action of said spring and operable upon slight movement to release said pin to said spring for instantaneous projection into the cam groove in the clutch element.

JOHN I. CARLSON. 

